NATIONAL PARK SERVICE
                           MORNING REPORT

To:        All National Park Service Areas and Offices

From:      Division of Ranger Activities, Washington Office

Day/Date:  Thursday, December 22, 1994

Broadcast: By 1000 ET

INCIDENTS

94-676 - Grand Canyon (Arizona) - Follow-up on Employee Illness

After three days in the intensive care unit at Dixie Medical Center in St.
George, Utah, Ed Cummins was transferred to the Latter Day Saints Hospital in
Salt Lake City, where he underwent angioplasty on Tuesday to remove a blood
clot which was blocking 95% of one of the coronary arteries in his heart.  The
procedure went well and doctors are hopeful that he will be released by Friday
and be able to return home for the holidays.  Those of you wanting to send get
well wishes should send them to Ed Cummins, Latter Day Saints Hospital, 8th
Avenue & C Street, Salt Lake City, UT 84143.  [CRO, GRCA, 12/22]

RESOURCE MANAGEMENT

Washington Office - Mining EIS

The Denver-based Mining and Minerals Branch (MMB) is currently participating in
formulation of the draft EIS for the Office of Surface Mining's (OSM) proposed
rulemaking on valid existing rights.  The NPS is directly affected by the
proposed rulemaking because coal operators are prohibited by section 522(e) of
the Surface Mining Control and Reclamation Act from surface mining coal in a
park or in an area that would adversely affect a park unless the operator can
show a prior existing right to the coal (30 USC 1201).  For this reason, the
rulemaking that will define exactly what constitutes a valid existing right is
of paramount importance.  Branch staff are now gathering coal ownership acreage
figures for park units, NPS administered Wild and Scenic Rivers, and NPS
administered National Trails located in coal bearing regions of the country. 
These acreage figures will provide OSM with a basis for determining how much
coal may or may not become unavailable for mining under different EIS
alternatives.  MMB will also provide OSM with information on environmental and
other impacts on park units associated with coal exploration and development. 
Park and/or regional personnel interested in contributing to this effort are
strongly encouraged to do so.  Information from those closest to the resource
is very valuable.  If you would like a copy of MMB's coal ownership acreage
figures for a specific park along with a checklist of possible impacts from
coal development please contact MMB via cc:Mail.  OSM has established a fairly
short turnaround time for NPS input.  MMB will submit coal data to OSM by mid-
January, 1995.  Prompt response from interested parks or regions is greatly
appreciated.  The cc:Mail address for information requests and coal related
comments is Kerry Moss at NP-WASO-MMB.  [Kerry Moss, MMB/WASO]

OPERATIONAL NOTES

No notes.

MEMORANDA

No memoranda.

Prepared by the Division of Ranger Activities, WASO, with the cooperation and
support of Delaware Water Gap NRA.

Telephone: 202-208-4874
Telefax:   202-208-6756
cc:Mail:   WASO Ranger Activities
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